Chia seeds are among the healthiest foods on the planet

Chia seeds contain a provide a modest number of calories, with about 140 calories in 2 tablespoons, or 1 ounce. You get 12 grams of carbohydrate in this about, with 11 grams of fiber, most of it soluble fiber that helps keep your blood sugar on an even keel. A 1 ounce serving of chia seeds also contains 9 grams of fat, with only 1 grams in a less healthy, saturated form.

Here are some benefits of chia seeds, supported by science:

1. Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive Amount of Nutrients With Very Few Calories

Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia hispanica, which is related to the mint.

Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day.

They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy. In fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”

Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, chia seeds became recognized as a modern-day superfood only recently.

In the past few years, they have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious people all over the world.

Despite their tiny size, chia seeds are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They’re loaded with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients.

2. Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Antioxidants

Another area in which chia seeds shine is their high antioxidant content.

These antioxidants protect the sensitive fats in the seeds from going rancid.

Most importantly, antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage cell molecules and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.

3. Almost All the Carbs in Them Are Fiber

One ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds has 12 grams of carbs. However, 11 of those grams are fiber, which your body doesn’t digest.

Fiber neither raises blood sugar nor requires insulin to be disposed of. Though it belongs to the carbohydrate family, its health effects are drastically different from those of digestible carbs like starch and sugar.

The digestible carb content is only one gram per ounce (28 grams), which is very low. This makes chia a low-carb friendly food.

Because of its high soluble fiber content, chia seeds can absorb up to 10–12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in your stomach.

Theoretically, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you automatically eat fewer calories.

Fiber also feeds the friendly bacteria in your intestine, which is important — keeping your gut flora well fed is absolutely crucial for health.

Chia seeds are 40% fiber by weight, making them one of the best sources of fiber in the world.